These russet mashed potatoes are super creamy and smooth but are made dairy-free (no milk) and with just a few simple ingredients. Don’t worry you won’t miss the dairy!
Be sure to check out my recipe for gluten-free mashed potato pancakes that uses leftover mashed potatoes as the base for a yummy savory pancake.
The Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes
Russet potatoes are by far the best potatoes for mashed potatoes. They have the right amount of starchiness to make the mashed creamy and delicious. Other white potatoes like fingerling, white and red potatoes are considered “waxy” potatoes. They don’t have as much starch as russets and are better for roasting.
Yukon gold potatoes are a hybrid of waxy and starchy. They can be used for mashed potatoes also, but will yield a slightly different texture than you may be used to.
How Long do you Boil Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes?
Once you have peeled and cubed the potatoes (approximately 2″ cubes), they will go into a pot of cold water. Always start with cold water. Warm or hot water will cook the outside too quickly before the inside has a chance to soften
Then put the pot on the stove over high heat and cover. Bring the water to a boil (this will take 10 minutes or so). As soon as the water boils, set a timer for 15 minutes.
When the timer sounds, use a fork to remove a chunk of potato. If it is soft and breaks easily, you’re done. If it has a little crunch or firmness, boil another 5 minutes. I have never had my potatoes take more than 20 minutes.
The Best Way to Mash Potatoes
Hands down, the most reliable way to mash potatoes is to use a potato ricer. This assures that the potatoes are nicely mashed with no chunks. If your masher has a choice of disks, use the one with the smallest holes.
It is so easy to over-mix potatoes, but with a ricer there’s no need to worry. I only make mashed potatoes a few times a year, but it is still worth it to have that ricer hiding in the back of my cabinet for just this purpose.
A hand masher makes it very difficult to make mashed potatoes smooth. So I don’t recommend a hand masher if you want creamy smooth potatoes.
The other option is an electric hand mixer. This can be a good option, though it is easy to over-mix potatoes with this method. But, if you don’t have a ricer, an electric hand mixer is the best way. Be careful to mix only about 2 minutes. Much more than that and the potatoes will start to get gummy and gluey.
Dairy-Free Ingredients
My husband is usually the maker of mashed potatoes and fills them with heavy cream and butter. I’m sure they taste delicious but unfortunately I can’t eat them. So I decided to develop a recipe that I could eat, which would still please my husband.
I tested several different brands of vegan butter and milk/cream alternatives to determine what would make these potatoes taste just like the ones made with real butter and cream.
The creamy richness of vegan creamers definitely won the contest. Califa Farms and Nut Pods both make unsweetened creamer alternatives. They have a hint of sweetness just like real cream and a lovely silky texture. Califia has hazelnut, almond milk, oat milk and coconut almond combos. Nut Pods are all almond-coconut milk combos. Regardless of which brand you use, be sure that it is unsweetened.
I have tried many vegan butter substitutes and by far the one that has the best butter flavor is Miyoko’s Vegan Cultured Butter. The other benefit of this brand is that they make an unsalted version. It can be very difficult to find vegan butters that have no salt. I like to be able to control exactly how much salt goes into my recipes and using an unsalted butter makes it much easier.
If you have a favorite brand of vegan butter that doesn’t come unsalted, be sure to reduce the amount of salt you add to the potatoes by 1/2. You can always add more, but it’s difficult to take it out! So just add a little at a time if needed.
Tips for Perfect Mashed Potatoes
As I said above, mixing mashed potatoes just enough to make them smooth (but not gluey) is key. If ricing the potatoes, the additions will come after the potato chunks are riced. If using a mixer, the additions can go in before mixing.
The key is to warm the vegan cream and butter before adding them. Warm them in the microwave or in a small pot over a low heat. Heat just enough so the butter is melted. This way they will incorporate into the potato evenly.
Reheating Mashed Potatoes
My favorite way to reheat mashed potatoes is to use the microwave. Place the mashed potatoes in a large microwave safe bowl (as large as your microwave will allow). Cover the potatoes with a damp paper towel and heat on high for 2 minutes. Mix and heat again for 2 minutes. Repeat until the potatoes are hot.
Stovetop – This is not my favorite method because it takes a lot of babysitting, but it can be done. Pour 1/4 c of dairy-free creamer or dairy-free milk into a large pot, then add the mashed potatoes. Heat on low-medium, stirring almost constantly until the potatoes are hot.
Dairy-Free Alternative Russet Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 2Β½-3 lbs. russet potatoes (3-4 medium sized)
- 4 Tbsp unsalted vegan butter (Miyoko's recommended)
- ΒΎ c dairy-free unsweetened creamer (Nut Pods or Califia Farms are good options)
- 1-1Β½ tsp salt
- 2-3 pinches finely ground black or white pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a four to six quart pot ΒΎ of the way with cold water leaving room for the potatoes.
- Scrub the potatoes clean and peel.
- Cut lengthwise into 3-4 pieces about 2" thick. Try to cut them as uniformly as possible.
- Then cut the other direction lengthwise in half, then into cubes, as shown. As soon as each potato is cut, transfer the chunks to the water to prevent oxidizing.
- Cover the pot and place on the stove top over high heat.
- When the water starts boiling, set a timer for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't boil over. If it does, reduce the heat a little.
- Meanwhile place the butter, creamer, one teaspoon of salt (Β½ tsp if using salted butter) and optional pepper in a small pot. Heat on the stove top over low heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat.
- At 15 minutes, use a fork to remove one of the larger chunks of potato. It should be delicate and break easily. If it has a little bit of crunch, continue boiling for 3-5 more minutes. It should take no more than 20 minutes.
- Immediately drain the potatoes into a colander. Shake the colander and toss the potatoes a little bit to be sure that all of the water is drained.
Mash with a Ricer
- If your ricer has a choice of disks, use the one with the smallest holes.
- Spoon about 1/3 of the potato into the ricer and rice into a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2/3 of the potatoes.
- Pour in the warmed creamer and butter and stir with a large spoon until it is incorporated.
- Taste. You should taste a hint of salt. If it needs more, stir in 1/4 teaspoon at a time and taste until you are satisfied.
Mash with a Hand Mixer
- Place the drained potato chunks and warmed milk/butter into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix on medium low for about 15 seconds – just enough to get the liquid incorporated. Then turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix for another 1Β½ minutes or until the potatoes are creamy and smooth. Do not mix more than a total of 2 minutes,
- Taste. You should taste a hint of salt. If it needs more, stir in 1/4 teaspoon at a time and taste until you are satisfied.
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